Hostile
by Aphroditehateschucky
Summary: Logan tricks Rory into marriage.
1. Chapter 1

"If you all would look out of the windows now you can observe the greater Los Angeles, California metropolitan area. We thank you all for flying American Airlines."

Rory woke to the slight turbulence of the plane as it attempted to steady itself into a landing position. She hardly had the money to cover the three hundred dollar coach ticket to Los Angeles so she suffered through the snoring of an old smelly man to her right and what seems like a hateful married couple to her left. It was her first time flying and she already learned what the significance of a first class ticket meant. Her grandparents lived with certain conveniences that she found frivolous, however, she couldn't help but feel regret over not letting them pay for this trip. Perhaps a first class ticket would have lightened her mood and lifted her spirits for the upcoming interview.

The five hour flight from New York was beginning to feel like the most desperate and pathetic career move she had made but she didn't have time to ponder on how unfair her life had been lately. All that mattered now was that she was out of the eastern sea board and away from the people that wanted nothing but the worst for her. She was in L.A. seeking a job as a reporter in a prestigious newspaper. After her graduation from Yale she had some offers and decided to seek employment at the Advocate where she built up her portfolio and gained some positive recognition but she wanted more. Like any other grad she wasn't satisfied with the slim job opportunities on the market, they didn't match up with her goals and she was ready to be a real reporter. However, with no one in the east hiring a Gilmore, that became quite impossible. She needed this job in L.A. to help put her suspicions to rest.

* * *

Rory headed up to her hotel room before going straight to the publishing office. She managed to afford a room in the most broken down location in Los Angeles, but alas, it was also the cheapest. There were no portraits. The walls were stained yellow with the history of past indoor smokers. The carpet was a fuzzy and smelly retired pink. The view centered around the next door brick apartments and the bed creaked with every bodily encounter she had with it. It wasn't comforting to be in this situation but her luxurious days as a Gilmore were over years ago. She paid for everything now and this is what her money could buy.

She was tired and couldn't remember the last time she had a moment of utter relaxation and serenity. The last three years after graduation have been so fast and generally unlucky. She hadn't been on a date in three years and hadn't had sex in the same amount of time. Her last time being intimate with any man was Logan Huntzberger and at this point she grew to really despise that name.

Her interview was in the next hour so she patted down her chestnut hair into a sleek high pony and struggled into some black slacks for her interview. She was going to nail this one, after all it was on the other side of the country. No one knew her here.

* * *

"Rory Gilmore ?" Called a short man from human resources.

"That's me."

He eyed her up and down, apparently sizing up her feminine sensitivity on his radar or perhaps wondering what a pretty brunette would possibly have to write about. Without speaking another word he lured her into the most prominent office space on the floor with the least privacy, the walls were all windows. Stepping inside felt like being stuck in a stuffy glass house.

"Gilmore's here." Called out the short man before providing his speedy exit.

The man he was spoke to had his back to Rory. He was facing his magnificent view of the California hills and finishing up a phone call, Rory only stood there waiting for his attention.

"Well I really appreciate you letting me know and I'll take care of it...yes, thank you again sir."

Finally, he hung up the phone and turned to face her.

He was younger than most editors with a five o'clock shadow that was expected from most writers. His green eyes indicated that he took his time seriously and his eyebrows rose at the appearance of Rory.

"I'm Rory Gilmore, I'm here for the journalist position your company is trying to fill."

When he didn't speak she continued.

"I'm employed at the Advocate in New York and I've been there for three years now. My boss is Keygan and he actually referred me to this position. I have some copies of my work if it will interest you to read..." She began to look through her binder.

"That won't be necessary. The position has already been filled." He sat down in his chair, expecting her to leave now.

Rory stood there, frozen. This couldn't be happening again.

"You can see your way out, Ms. Gilmore."

Stunned but not wanting to be anywhere she isn't wanted she turned to leave.

However, her nerve got the better of her.

"Listen, I know that your an important figure in this newspaper so you probably hear this a lot of the times but... I love journalism. Check my passport if you don't believe me because it says that I came all the way from New York for this job. If that doesn't already show some kind of commitment for this field, then I don't know what does! This is my life. Its what I spent my entire childhood wanting, it's what studied in college, it's why I'm here. And I know that whoever you hired will be perfect for the job but wouldn't you like to examine my writing anyways? Maybe there's a interning position available that I can temporarily have until a new full time position opens. I mean... it can't be over this was my last shot...!"

"Ms. Gilmore!" He shouted as to interrupt her rant.

Many people from outside the glass office where staring now. Apparently the fancy office couldn't afford sound proof windows. Shame.

Head honcho slumped back in his leather chair and admitted, "I don't have time to sit here and stroke your ego so I'll make this quick. You are the best I've seen and I know this because I've had your writings messengered to me from your boss. Him and I go back. He highly recommended me to you and the truth is, the position hasn't been filed but I can't have you in it."

Sensing the confusion dramatically taking over her expression he continued.

"I don't know if you remember your interning years at the New York Times several years back but we made a call. They refused to give an references and some people I came in contact with even refused to admit that you were there. Then just now I got a call from Mitchum Huntzberger himself. I don't know if you realized this but the Huntzberger Publishing Corp. just bought several media companies in California, including this one. What that man says is law and he says you are the biggest disappointment he's ever had working under him."

Rory was still. She studied the patterns on the wooden floor and tired not to hit something. She had her suspicions that she was being black listed by someone important but she didn't even want to bring herself to think of who or why. She always knew her past would revive itself at the most inappropriate time. Head honcho sensed her about to erupt and got up from his chair to approach her.

He solemnly placed a hand on her shoulder, "I don't know what you did to piss him off but he is a very important person. I'm sorry to say this but maybe it's best if you pursue a career in something he can't control. Best of luck to you Rory Gilmore."

She finally looked up from the floor gaze but refused to look into the sympathetic eyes of a stranger that was himself too much of a wimp to offer a good candidate a job they deserved.

"Well, this is really a loss because I would have rocked this newspaper!" And with all the pride of a Gilmore she walked out of that office head held high.

* * *

Don't forget to follow your dreams was probably a motto invented by some drunk California hippie who's only dream was to drink beer and procreate. Rory came to realize that only rich visionaries like Walt Disney have time to plan and seek out real dreams. It was now that she understood when people used words such as "working to get by". Those words were always used by people that accepted that their dreams were foolish and understood that there's an age when you have to push aside what you wanted and just settle. Sometimes no amount of desire or hard labor will get you were you were you want to be because sometimes fate has a huge say-so in your life.

So Rory sat in bar waiting for some inspiration to take her to a new direction or fate to show her once again where she didn't belong. It was half past twelve in the morning and she considered calling her mother and letting her in on how horrible this day had been and what Mitchum Huntzberger had been up to but she knew that would provoke the Logan talk and at this point in time that was unacceptable. She didn't want to imagine how much better he must be doing. It must really be a good thing to have Mitchum Huntzberger with you instead of against you, to have him help build you up with monetary funds and name recognition. Everything always came easy to Logan and she envied that. To think that that at that very moment he could be chatting it up with his usual attractive blondes and getting someone else truly talented to do his work for him was ridiculous.

She always wondered what her life would have been like had she said yes to Logan. Would she be happier? Would they still be together three years later? Would he be faithful? Would being a trophy wife have been as bad as she thought? The truth was, she wasn't doing any better now and the past three years had been hell with no one willing to give her a shot in the major leagues of reporting. How ironic, she had been afraid that choosing Logan would surely end her career before it started but if only he could see her now. All cheap, broke, and pathetic.

She had to restraint herself from calling him after the disastrous job interview. She knew his cell phone number by memory. A couple years ago she tried to memorize a couple pages of a public phone book so that she wouldn't have his particular number stuck in her mind but she couldn't help it and still knew his by heart. But what would she tell him? A casual hello and a menacing death threat for ending her career?

This is why she chose to take a cap to Moncyny. It was an adult club in the trendy downtown area of Los Angeles, it was featured in the tour guide pamphlet she read on the plane ride. Apparently it was "the" place to be, with it's overly priced drinks and massive space. There was a glow in the dark pool, a view of all the city lights and a free bar for women over 21. Rory was sold. Tonight would be dedicated to drinking her heart out until she decided if she should seek out mediocre employment in a town far from the Huntzberger influence, or if she should just go back to Hartford and only hope to marry well. Her mother hadn't raised her for the latter so she'd have to do the harder "make it on your own" thing but she had no fight left in her.

"You don't belong here."

The guy across from her broke her silent drinking binge. She struggled to turn and look in his direction.

"Excuse me?"

"You look too kind and beautiful to be in L.A. most of the girls that come here dye there hair blonde and expect a movie deal after a couple years. I'm Jason by the way." He was a good-looking man in his early twenties. Definitely younger than her. Definitely wanting to get her in bed. This was a first.

"Sorry to disappoint." She said.

"Let me guess, your here because you just had the longest day and you broke up with your boyfriend."

"Actually, no and I don't make it a habit to let strangers in on my day." She looked away wondering if he'd take the hint.

"I get it, some asshole ruined your plans and now your in a bar with a very distinct buzz-off look on your face and a drink that will help you forget everything until the morning but just for the record, we are not all the same."

She really stared at him for the first time and noticed how his brown eyes had a type of excitement in them, she hadn't seen anything like that in a while.

"Are you writer?" She asked.

He shook his head quickly.

"Do you work in any newspapers?" She asked again.

"Honey, I don't even read the news."

"Wanna buy me a drink?" She inquired, smiling for the first time all day.

"You got it."

And while Jason began to order everything that resembled alcohol in the bar, surely to get her drunk before two in the morning, Rory excused herself and went to the ladies room to freshen herself up. She was partially excited but mostly nervous. Tonight would be her first night with a man in three years. Would it suck? She couldn't bring herself to remember what it felt like her very last time. It's almost like the memory had locked itself up in the far reaches of her brain and refused to be unlocked. Suddenly, she began to worry about her choice in underwear and the state of her legs. Perhaps she should have shaved above the knee this time.

In the ladies room she grabbed onto the sink, contemplating her appearance while some skinny hipster vomited her latest meal. She had the urge to violently vomit herself due to all her nerves. She was really going to do this. Tonight would be the night for something crazy but then there was the humiliating reflection in the mirror. She had really let herself go the past three years. She looked like she hadn't slept in days, she appeared skinny and grumpy and pale, homey even. Before she could even contemplate what Jason would think of her dry hair three stunning women stumbled in the bathroom.

"That's her!" The tannest one whispered venomously under her breath.

"Shush!" Scolded the one wearing a red dress.

Rory had to assume that they were talking about her, the skinny vomiting girl had already left. They stepped behind her in an awkward silence, obviously disapproving of her plain black slacks – an inappropriate outfit for this type of nightclub. One of them was clearly drunk and even glared at her through the mirror. Rory took this as her cue to leave and tightened her pony tail before heading out. The last thing she heard was, "Could you believe he wants her?"

Rory began to walk back to the bar area a little worst for wear and that's when she noticed that Jason was gone. This was just her luck.

The bartender noticed this and poured her an extra shot of tequila for an extra crappy day.

**Two hours later**...

"Maybe you've had enough." Scolded the bartender.

The crowd of people had changed, the music was more explosive and rowdy, people were everywhere despite the early morning hour and Rory Gilmore was far from done drinking.

"You know, I don't really like you and I'm sick of men who push me around and think that I should be punished because I have a vagina! I went to Yale!"

The man, taken aback by her drunken yelling only handed her more tequila.

"Don't look at me like that. I'm not scary or damaged like most people at this bar. I had plans! And now I'm just a girl that wasted thousands of dollars and years of my time on a plan that didn't work out. So whatever you may think of me, shove it and hand over the tequila bottle."

The nervous bartender slid over the bottle.

"Not to be rude miss but sometimes things just don't happen the way you want them to. Life's got a wicked sense of humor." He said while wiping down the table.

"What's your name?" Asked Rory.

"Steve."

She started laughing so uncontrollably that it looked like she couldn't breathe for a couple seconds. Steve leaned in wanting her to be ok and knowing that he would get blamed if anything happened to her tonight.

"Everything would have been so different if I was okay with only being a hot piece of ass," she choked out between laughter, "screw women with brains! I should have married him and been a wife instead," she slid off her seat and started climbing on the bar table much to the disbelief of the bartender who only stared.

"But hey, it's not too late." She said while facing the people in the club that were now beginning to stare at her dancing figure on the slippery table. The volume of the music was then intensified so that Rory couldn't hear the yelps of the bartender as he pleaded her to get off the table carefully. The DJ only assumed the she was a young twenty-something year old party goer that wanted to bring things to the next level and so the lights began to flicker while she swayed to the rhythm.

Women that were previously watching decided to join her on the tables to make their men ogle them and not her.

Rory decided to ditch layers of her clothing and she completely lost herself in the music, so much so that she hadn't cared when strange men began to grope the parts of her body that they could reach. She decided to open her eyes and take in the euphoric sight before her and that's when she looked right into a pair of disturbed brown eyes.

She froze.

"Huntzberger let it go!"

The two figures that had been holding onto both sides of the blonde man lost their grip as he shook himself out and made a beeline to Rory.

She couldn't believe that L.A. was this small and she also couldn't figure out how to get her uncoordinated body off of the table. It couldn't possibly be him. She was definitely dreaming this entire event.

He shouted something that she couldn't hear over the music and stuck his hand out.

Rory reached out but instead of grabbing onto his hand she intended to touch his face. Her vision was blurred and the constant flickering lights weren't helping her current state. She vaguely saw a pair of anxious brown eyes and a haze of dirty blonde hair but she still stuck with her dream theory. It couldn't be...

The last thing she was able to shriek over the music was, "I think I'll have a taco now."

Then everything went black.


	2. Chapter 2

It was the tickle that stirred Rory awake in the morning. It started off as a light sensation that could easily be confused as a part of a dream. Lazy, and not wanting to open her eyes to the world just yet, Rory ignored it and subconsciously hoped that whatever type of fly it was, it would eventually dart out into another space. These were the terrors of sleeping in a two star hotel where the bugs were enormous and the flies were always irritating.

She tried to drift back into her dream were she last remembered seeing the brown eyes and the reaching hand. She also hoped that the last twenty-four hours were a troublesome illusion made up by her depressed state of being. As she began to lose herself in the visions she began to smell salty sea air that didn't belong in the premises of her mind, she couldn't even remember the last time she had gone to a beach and it would have cost her an arm and a leg to get a hotel with nearness to the ocean.

Suddenly, the fly was back and the feeling it caused over her skin intensified as it worked it's way up her leg. The tingle was getting ridiculously higher and the feeling was causing goosebumps over her exposed flesh. Then she sensed the same tickle around her breast, circling her nipple and taking it's time there. She was beginning to think that she was in danger and that perhaps this was no fly, maybe it had been a confused massive roach climbing it's way up her body! This thought alone was enough motivation for her to try and open her heavy eyes.

It took a little effort and her eyes still weren't open all the way but she was definitely not in her crappy hotel room. In fact, she had no idea were she was. The sheets themselves where a dark gray fluffy Egyptian cotton, next to her was a steel night table with the most modern looking lamp she'd ever seen. Her eyes were opening wider now and she didn't need to lift her head to witness the most beautiful sight to her right. It was an open balcony with airy french doors that led to a view of the California hills and a wide ocean.

"Oh God." She mumbled as she struggled to sit up.

It was then that three things became apparent: her body hurt everywhere and her head was near ready to imploded with pain, she was utterly and completely nude with only a small stretch of Egyptian sheets, and she was not alone.

"Good morning gorgeous, I was getting worried that you wouldn't wake up." Murmured one very naked Logan Huntzberger in her ear while lightly tracing a burgundy rose up her nearest arm.

"Oh God!" Cried Rory visibly panicked and ready to die.

"Rory," said Logan sensing her alarm and laying down the rose on his night table.

The notion did not settle her and she began to grab onto all the covers available to cocoon herself into safety from his nude self. In the process she looked down and noticed her underwear from the previous night resting on the floor.

What had she done?

"Oh god!" She whimpered again.

"Rory it's okay." Logan said soothingly, trying to reach out to her through the mountain of covers.

"What happened last night? I...I can't remember anything."

"You were at Moncyny." He alerted, trying to get some kind of eye contact from her.

"Why are my clothes on the ground!" She asked, yelling at the floor and still refusing to look in his direction.

"I can't believe you don't remember."

He sounded upset and Rory couldn't take it. She drawn a total blank on last night like never before, she had never gotten that drunk in her life and forgotten vital information. She was never the girl that woke in the penthouses of ex boyfriends. She knew alcohol impaired judgment but she had no idea it could ever be this bad.

"This is so not about you right now Logan!" She started to move with every intention of getting out of the bed and grabbing her clothes but Logan wasn't having it.

He grabbed the mountain of covers and violently threw them, Rory watched them land halfway across the room before they flopped down. There was absolutely no barrier between the two of their naked bodies now and Rory prayed with every ounce of her fate that they were both naked in bed for a different reason than what she suspected. Perhaps she vomited last night, it landed everywhere and they were both safer taking their clothes off, then perhaps they were too tired to do anything but sleep after the clothes were off. Even on her worst day she knew better than to sleep with this man, right? His father was responsible for all of her current misery. He was the indirection reason she ended up in that god forsaken bar.

"Rory, look at me." He commanded.

She had never heard him sound so serious before and it was sort of scary. She slowly lifted her head to meet his intense gaze. He took this movement as a good sign and got a hold of her face, cupping it delicately while keeping the eye contact. Rory felt like she was going to burst. His eyes were still the same shade of dreamy hazel they only looked older and more experienced, his hair looked blonder and messier, he appeared as if he hadn't shaved in a couple days and his five o'clock shadow accentuated his defined jawline. He could definitely fit the bill of sexiest man alive and it wasn't helping her situation. She could already feel her lower parts reacting to his attention.

"I know that your freaking out right now and your probably more scared that you'd ever been. I just...I want you to know that nothing happened last night that you didn't want to happen. I can understand if you don't remember anything, hard liquor does that to you now and then but you have to trust me. Look, I ordered room service a couple minutes ago and they should be here any second now. I want us to talk over breakfast and I'll answer any questions about last night, just give me a chance."

Before she could answer they heard a knock on the door, he quickly kissed her forehead and let go. She just sat there hardly breathing and shaking, though she managed to get a good look of Logan's rock solid ass before he put on a rope and went to answer the door.

It was when he was out of sight that she started to get up and search for her clothes.

"Oh. Ow." She whimpered to herself.

She was sore everywhere. Shimmying in her underwear she could no longer deny the fact that her and Logan had a sexual encounter, the way her legs and other extremities felt she couldn't deny that they probably had more than one encounter. Looking for her bra she came across the most distressing sight that proved all her worst premonitions.

Apparently there was a waste basket next to Logan's side of the bed that was half way filled with used up condoms...

She had to leave.

She was past any type of talk.

In lightening speed she dressed back into her slacks and blouse, she was even able to find one of her heels but time was running out and she couldn't find the matching one. She scratched her head anxiously, knowing that Logan would be back at any moment and that's when she felt it.

The fourth finger on her left hand was fitted with the same ring that Logan carried around three years ago. The same magnificent, sparkling, expensive diamond that ruined their relationship and same ring that she returned.

This could not be happening.

She scanned the room and then something else caught her eye on Logan's night table, it was a legal folder. With nothing left to lose and terror prompting her, she opened the legal folder and found something inside that took her breath and made her run out of the room, letting the papers inside spill all over the hardwood floors.

The penthouse was ridiculously humungous and everywhere she looked there was a view worth millions and appliances that she didn't recognize. She raced through a narrow hallway with one heel wondering where the hell she was. She couldn't really be married, those papers no matter how legit they looked had to be a joke. Unfortunately, the seriousness with which Logan spoke to her made her doubt that she did anything cute and light-hearted last night. More like immensely important, legally binding, and stupid.

"Right over here." She heard Logan ushering in nearly the entire restaurant staff that came to deliver practically everything on the menu. She could make out french toast, beacon, pancakes, fruits. Three years apart and he hadn't forgotten her appetite.

When he heard her approach he expelled the biggest smile to ever grace his face, however, it quickly disappeared when he saw her dressed and ready to leave.

"Rory, don't leave yet," he pleaded making his way towards her while workers kept shuffling in and out of the room with plates.

Caught in her own trance and searching for her missing shoe she ignored him.

He sighed, "You saw the papers didn't you."

"I can't do this I'm missing a shoe." She responded.

"Rory couldn't you just wait in bed? I asked you to give me a chance to explain, why is that so hard to understand?"

She stopped and looked up at the never ending ceiling before looking at him.

"I don't want to talk Logan! I know that in the last couple hours you were able to conceive a detailed and through explanation as to why I would get drunk and married in that order but as of right now I don't want to hear it. I've had enough of you and I've had enough of your family and all I really want to do this find my freaking shoe!"

The workers, all shocked by her outburst began to work a little slower to catch a good view of the show.

"And why is that?"

"Because I want to get the hell out of here!"

He rephrased, "How have you had enough of them or me when we hadn't been a part of each others lives in three years Rory!" He emphasized the number.

"Are you kidding me? Daddy Huntzberger has been doing a pretty good job making sure that I don't work in any newspaper except the Advocate. I can't ever win with him, he hated me when I was with you and he hates me now when I'm not so next time you see him be sure to tell him I will not be leaving journalism even if it means I have to fight him on it everyday."

"Why don't you tell him yourself! We're married now. What's mine is yours, remember?"

"No actually I can't say I do." She laughed mirthlessly.

"So what now Rory? Your just going to leave?" He shouted slightly panicked.

"No, I'm going to find my shoe first."

Shuffling through the couch didn't seem to be helping any so she continued her search around the tables. Logan, ever so unhelpful only stood there and glared.

"You wanted us to get married Rory. I couldn't force this on you, you wanted it! I mean I admit I definitely wasn't excited to see you what with that last rejection and all but I thought you had changed, I thought that maybe the old you had evolve into a bar dancing stripper who wouldn't mind choosing love over work for once."

"We all can't be hippies Logan. Some of us have work. Some of us have a long way to go because we weren't bred into journalism with the last name Huntzberger." Replied a distracted Rory.

"That's not even a valid argument anymore and I still can't believe you bring that up after three years! It's not my choice how I was raised Rory, but if the name is all you obsess about then you can stop now because it's already yours!"

She closed her eyes, "I'm trying really hard to think of a reason why I would marry you but right now nothing rings a – ", just then Logan grabbed the back of her head roughly and led her into a kiss.

Suddenly the headache, the soreness, the shoe were all in the back of her mind. This kiss and his soft lips against hers was overloading her senses. She hadn't felt anything like it in years and it wasn't normal. It wasn't mediocre by any means. Even though it was brought forth by sheer rage it was the way she felt herself so connected to someone else, the way that she knew he was probably experiencing the same feelings that made this kiss that more meaningful.

When it ended Logan still had his eyes closed and rested his lips on her forehead with an attempted to get back to reality. Then looking past him something caught Rory's eye.

She let out a sigh of relief, "Finally..." And began walking around Logan.

Logan remained rooted to the floor, "Your staying?" He inquired eagerly, trying not to get his hopes up with this flighty woman.

"No I found my shoe." Declared the happy wife.

With that she wiggled her foot inside and started making her way past the employees and out of the penthouse. She didn't look back afraid that his demeanor after the kiss would induce her weak side into staying but she couldn't. He was the enemy, after all.

The last thing she heard him shout on her way past the door was, "This isn't over."

She wasn't affected by those three words because as far as she was concerned it was.


	3. Chapter 3

"So what brings you here Mrs. Huntzberger?"

"I'm married."

"Congratulations." Commented the attorney without giving it much thought.

Rory stared at the marble ground, "When women walk into a divorce attorney's office they don't expect to bombarded with congratulations. Isn't this suppose to be a secure place for unhappily married people or should I just go back to my place for that?"

The dark-haired attorney nodded at his amateur mistake. He seemed innocent and fresh out of law school, that was the reason there was an older more experienced lawyer that was presiding over the consult but he didn't say a word, he was only there to ensure that the young man was following protocol.

"I suppose you'll like to be referred to as Miss Gilmore for the remainder of this meeting." Laughed the young lawyer with one nervous glance at his boss.

"That would be best." She responded.

"Right. Then call me Warren, it's my less formal name but again what brings you here?" He repeated.

Rory took a deep breath and began, "I need to terminate my marriage."

"Alright," responded the young attorney and he began to look through paperwork on his desk and referencing his notes. Rory was starting to regret the fact that she showed up to the office . She need a full-fledged divorcing machine, one that was well versed in the law and had legally separated over a dozen hostile couples before. She didn't desire this amateur that looked like he needed to brush up using his law school books.

"When did you marry?" He finally asked.

"Two weeks ago when I was visiting L.A."

"I would need your full legal name and your husband's as well as both dates of birth."

She gave him the information which he quickly typed into his computer, only momentarily hesitating to hide his shock at the name Logan Huntzberger.

"Well it's all here," he said looking at his computer screen, "You were married June 24 in Clark County, Nevada with Judge Novack presiding."

A shock wave rushed over Rory before she was able to fully formulate a sentence.

"That can't be me. I was in California not Nevada. I mean I woke up in California," she said shaking her head despite the accuracy in her words.

Warren stared between her and the computer before turning it around so that she could get a view of the marriage license that showed up on the screen.

"Is that your signature in the bottom right?"

Not only did she recognize her handwriting but Logan's as well. She remained baffled with confusion and only nodded.

Warren continued, "Well Miss Gilmore we can proceed from here in many ways, we can try and get the marriage annulled or we can go for a divorce but to figure out which is the best option I need to hear a bit more about June 24th in Clark County."

Perfect. This was just about the time they were going to realize what a drunken psychopath she was. Would they believe her? As divorce attorneys they must have heard crazier stories than this.

"I can't tell you anything." She stated simply.

He sat back in his chair lost in her mysterious nature.

"Miss Gilmore if you want us to represent you we have to know everything about the relationship. Every detail. Every thing that you thought insignificant. Every gesture he made. How the judge came off. It's all really very important."

"I really can't tell you anything." She continued.

After seeing him running a hand through his hair Rory decided to explain. Her attorney needed to know the truth no matter how ridiculous he thought her to be after wards.

"I'm not a gold digger, I'm not crazy or irresponsible or anything that you might think but I can't tell you what happened that day because I don't remember."

She measured his response to her words but his expression remained unreadable. He kept quiet, urging her to go on.

"I went to California for a job interview and a day later I leave the state married. I don't know how it happened. Not the slightest cute. The night before I was upset over how my day was going and I went to a bar. I'm hardly ever a drinker but I sat there and had the nastiest alcoholic beverages because I thought it would help. Then my booty call left me and I suddenly I wake up naked and he tries to tell me its okay and that he would never do anything I don't want but I was naked and so was he!"

This time Warren glanced at the older attorney in the room who was now listening intently as well but Rory's ranting continued unfazed.

"It's funny isn't it? How some girls spend years planning and obsessing over every detail of their weddings and I can't even recall mine long enough to tell my divorce attorney! I tried. Before I came in here I sat in my car for hours trying to remember anything and I still couldn't but I guarantee that he remembers everything down to the last second."

"Are you both communicating?" Interceded the older attorney.

"Are you kidding? He doesn't even know I'm here."

"Have you both stayed in contact with each one way or another since you left?" Asked Warren.

"He's left me voice-mails and text messages telling me that we need to talk about things, he even went as far as calling my grandparents and telling them the news! He's such an asshole but even that was low for him because he knows Hartford talks and now my mom's knows too and shes upset with me. Look, I just want this to go away." She said on the verge of tears.

Both attorney's shared a look before Warren handed her tissues and asked, "Have you both been together before?"

Rory nodded, "We dated three years ago."

"Was it serious?" Asked the older attorney.

"He proposed to me before but it didn't work and he moved to California."

"And why did you go to California?" He further questioned.

"I told you, a job interview."

"And what did you do when you saw him in the same place?"

"I was drunk. I don't remember."

She had a feeling that this wasn't going well for her.

"Is there any reason you can think of not being married to Logan Huntzberger? Is he abusive in anyway?"

She was taken aback by the line of questioning, "God no! He's not that kind of guy...I just can't be with him...are you going to help me or not?"

The attorney's shared the same look again before Warren decided to speak up this time.

"Due to the nature of this case and the facts you just told us, it's required that you have one month of marriage counseling before we can get the ball rolling on anything, you know, standard procedure to ensure that separating is the best course of action."

She remained still, "Not interested."

"Miss Gilmore it's required by the law in the county your marriage license was given. I could try and influence the situation so that you only have a couple weeks but it's still necessary."

"I can't talk to him." She stated adamantly.

Both men remained composed despite the decision of the stubborn woman in front of them.

Warren changed the topic, "Legal representation will be four hundred dollars."

Rory's eyes widened, "A day?"

"An hour and if you want the both of us to look over your case it's double that."

Rory looked down at her fingers wondering how people could afford to get divorced everyday with these fees. She didn't see that type of money until the end of the week when she used it to pay for her apartment, utilities, and food. She couldn't imagine making that much money an hour.

"I can't afford that kind of service." She explained still not looking up from her hands.

Warren felt sorry for her. It was obvious that she had made a huge mistake rushing into a marriage in her drunken state, now she had to literally pay for her errors. As if the trauma of waking up to an ex boyfriend wasn't enough. She was truly beautiful. Even with her rants and tears her eyes were still the brightest blue he'd witnessed. Her lips where cherry red and pouty after the recent crying. Throughout the entire meeting he had been trying to keep eye contact and not gawk at the tops of her supple breast that were accentuated in her type of dress.

He wanting nothing more than to give her good news. Perhaps even offer to work for free if it meant he got to see her smile but his boss spoke before he could utter a word.

"Then you'll already have something to speak about with your husband because it seems that he might be able to help you with the costs."

She snorted, "Oh that's rich of you." Apparently he knew of Logan's background.

She grabbed her purse to leave her free consultation.

"Come again Mrs. Huntzberger." Said the older attorney.

* * *

Warren sat back in his chair appreciating the view that came from working in an influential law firm in Manhattan. He had a good view of the Empire State Building from his office, he often stole glances at it during his day reveling in the fact that a law student from Missouri could somehow end up in the big apple. He still couldn't believe he had made it all the way here, living in Park Avenue and having lunches in five star hotels. It wasn't his style but it certainly was different from anything he had encountered.

His job had always been the most important thing seeing as how it paid for most of his travels to Missouri to visit his aging parents. With so much work he hadn't found the time to meet many women and now he couldn't seem to get one particular one off of his mind. How strange that Rory Gilmore had only been in his office for less than an hour and already had him hooked. Putting the husband aside and her lack of good judgment while intoxicated, she came off as a very nice girl. Definitely not an attention seeker or an opportunist, she was nothing like the money crazed parasites that he attracted in the big city. Rory was a rare find.

With one more look at the Empire State Building he gathered the courage to turn his chair all the way around and grab the phone, he was going to ask Rory and work up the nerve to ask her to dinner. She was getting divorced anyhow, what could it hurt? Right when he had a hold of his office phone it started to ring. Bewildered, he answered it and heard the terrified voice of his secretary hollering on the other end.

"Sir Mitchum Huntzberger is on his way to your office, I tried to stop him but he wasn't waiting I'm sorry!" Cried the hysterical secretary.

Before she could continue her series of apologies his office door swung open to reveal a very enraged and tall man.

"Are you Warren Kennedy?" He demanded.

"I'm sorry sir, if you would like you talk you have to make an appointment."

"Of no relation to the actual Kennedys' I assume, otherwise I would have known you a lot earlier. None the less, I know you are representing a Rory Huntzberger. She's my daughter in law as of two weeks ago." He spat.

"Sir, I'm not allowed to give out client information." Combated Warren, rising from his chair to match the outraged stranger.

"Go ahead Warren, this is Mitchum Huntzberger in case you weren't aware. His donations are part of the reason you earn a paycheck with this firm so it would do you well to let go of client confidentially and be respectful of his presence." Interceded his boss from the door frame.

Warren knew there had been something off about his boss earlier in the meeting with Rory. He hadn't been suppose to say a word, he was a mere observer but somehow his curiosity on the case proved to shift his loyalties.

"Clarence Oswald," greeted Mitchum with a slightly less menacing nod, "thank you for the call."

"It was the least I could do for that son of yours."

"Does she know yet?" Asked Mitchum gravely.

Clarence only shook his head with appropriate seriousness and Warren looked in on the site with complete amazement. Had these older men just barged into his office to discuss concealed topics? What on earth would have caused this scene?

The two men shared a moment of silence before Mitchum sent one petrifying glare in his direction behind the desk.

"You will not represent her in any way, shape, or form. You will act as if she never existed and destroy any evidence that she was ever here. If she for any reason tries to contact you or returns with any intent to continue this divorce you will do everything you can to ensure that she doesn't take any legal action."

"She's my client." Warren stated incredulously at the old man's demands.

"Boy, you want to listen to what I say, not only because your relatively new in this position but because I hold your license in my hands. One call and you will never be able to practice law in the east coast again. You'd be free to go back to the dirty dull boxed-in state you came from."

So he already knew his background...Warren remained absolutely still with disbelief. It was better not to move when those Huntzberger eyes stared back at him, almost daring him to move an inch out of place.

Clarence only smiled, "Have you spoken to Haggerback?"

"He prompted me to this very room." Answered Mitchum referring to the chief lawyer, founder, and CEO of the law firm.

"Perfect." Informed Clarence.

"Indeed."

Mitchum would not let his gaze leave Warren for a second and almost immediately both old men were boring there eyes past his newly bought five hundred dollar suit. Warren was new to this lifestyle, new to the authoritative power figures and real men that ran New York City, and they knew that. So they stared, wondering if he'd be the type to break from instruction.

After what feel like the longest minute of his life, he was gone. Mitchum had left the way he came and left so many unanswered questions. Warren could only stay standing in absolute shock of what a Huntzberger had the ability to do. Rory was in for it, this father-in-law looked a no nonsense aristocrat.

His boss, Clarence, noticed the expression on Warren's face and chuckled before saying, "Yes I had that same look on me with my first encounter fifteen years ago. Despite what it may look like he's a real big family man, cares too much for Logan if you ask me."

"Why was he here?" Warren finally managed to choke out.

"His son didn't write up a prenuptial agreement. Half of everything stored up in the banks belongs to Rory as of June 24."

He believed it.

Warren ran to the farthest window in his office and concentrated all of his vision down to one spot. Below the number of flags that hung around the exterior of the firm, on the right he noticed Mitchum Huntzberger already speaking on his cell phone before entering a black non-intrusive car. The driver pulled out into traffic quickly, after all, time was money.

Warren let out a long sigh after a moment. Who was he kidding, Rory may be exactly what he needed but she was a Huntzberger and he couldn't keep denying it.

* * *

Leave your message at the sound of the beep.

…

"Rory, this is like the thirteenth message I leave behind now and I'm starting to feel like maybe it's beginning to be a trend. That's nearly one for every day since I last saw you but hey maybe the fourteenth one will be a charm and you'll credit me and return at least one. Or who knows, maybe after one more week you'll start to feel sorry for me...I know I do. Anyways, no pressure. I get that your busy working and doing all these single reporter type things but I would just like to remind you that your married. To me. Hey, someone's got to remind you. Look, I'm moving to New York. I have a brownstone over there and I'm staying at on fifth avenue. I went ahead and decided that if this whole marriage thing was going to work out it might be beneficial if we were on the same part of the country. But anyways, there's a key hidden in between the door frame and the door, just in case you wanted a repeat of that night seeing as how we didn't get much of a honeymoon," he laughed nervously before continuing, "Your so much better at talking than I am...maybe you should take over in the next message? Just a thought...anyhow I have to go. Take care Ace."


	4. Chapter 4

"I was fine until I gave birth to you. I had my waist the appropriate size, a head full of hair and your father and I were actually happy. Then you came and my hair has been falling out every day since. I don't know why I didn't get rid of you the day I knew I would have you. Despite what your father says, you aren't worth it. You've always been this ungrateful brat and not one thing you've ever done or said has ever made what I had to go through worthwhile!"

"Shira that's quite enough," mediated Mitchum.

"No! You expect me to just stand down and let his shameless harolet take everything we have? Mitchum, we've worked decades to have everything we own and in one night he marries the pathetic begger who never wanted him to begin with. If it wasn't so horrifying it would almost be laughable."

Logan was having a hard time listening to his parent's criticism. The past three years living across the country from his old life had been near perfection. No reminders of his destiny, his newspaper lineage, or duties. His parents, of course, had been quick to cut him off financially. They felt that the family fortune should not in any way mingle with the baby business brought to life by their son. It took them a long while to finally accept his decision to leave, in the beginning stages Mitchum went frantic in his search to find a replacement for Logan with a promising employee but they were all a disappointment to the media magnet. Even giving his daughter a shot, the art history major seem to make his blood boil.

Logan didn't know when his parents began to have a change of heart but somewhere in the middle of building the most sensational company seen in California, his parents came around, possibly to the thought that at least their son was doing something productive. Shira wasn't difficult to win over, she had already been satisfied with her son after his break up from the "Gilmore girl". Seeing her son move to California to begin a business only affirmed the fact that he was a true Huntzberger man, he knew when to let go and when to move on from childish behavior. She had been in utter disbelief when she heard of her son proposing to the girl that brought out the worst in him. That entire week when the engagement hung in the air she refused to speak to Logan. She had told him time and time again that the girl wasn't worth his time. She was a working girl, the type that had plans and would never have been home in time to make sure that her son had dinner and clean clothes. She would use Logan and his connections, probably even get pregnant and push Logan to care for the child, as if they couldn't hire a nanny. Shira knew she was being hard on her son but she refused to see him degraded into a possible Mr. Gilmore.

Logan knew what his mother thought of Rory and though he would never agree with her dislike, even after the breakup, it was still comforting to have someone on his side after the separation. His mother was just so thrilled about the couple being finished that she didn't mind where he moved, or what he did, or even who.

Logan would never admit it to anyone, not even Colin and Finn because they surely would think he had a problem but once he landed in California, he doubled his dosage. One girl just wasn't enough anymore, he needed more variety as to have more distractions. Eventually, he returned to his playboy ways only this time it was worse that before. He didn't have flavors of the week anymore, more like flavors of the day. He downright refused to leave a room without the attention and digits of a female. He had a problem. He knew it too but he needed all these females. Needed their whiny calls for attention and commitment because they took up all his energy and thoughts. Women eventually stopped expecting anything from him and that's when he moved on to another, he was Logan Huntzberger. A smile and his name, that's really all he had to do to get another.

Of course there were times when his memory was a bit jogged. Sometimes he came across brown-haired blue eyes babes and he would flock to the every rare breed. These special ladies would leave his penthouse in the morning unable to walk properly but all with giant smiles because these women would get loved by Logan in more ways then one. He would often stare at them during the deed, hoping with all the pieces of his heart that they would transform into a different brunette. Of course it never physically happened and his best bet was his imagination. He had to imagine that their hair was her hair, that he was touching her curves, that it was her he was undressing. However, his lady of the evenings would speak, completely unaware of how difficult it was to keep up with an illusion and with that, ruin everything.

Often he would stay awake thinking of what if's scenarios. He missed sharing his bed with just one woman who genuinely knew everything there was to know about him and loved him back regardless. He missed the laughter, the silly fights, the hand holding. He would never find that again. Especially not in the land where every girl was made of ten percent plastic. His work friends knew that any talk of past girlfriends was out of the question and every time he met with Colin and Finn they refused to bring up anything. They understood too.

Logan was in his nightly club with his regular co-workers and gang of female followers when he saw the most disturbing sight. In the farthest section of the club, almost out of eye range he noticed his bastard employee speaking to the most beautiful creature he had known years ago.

It caught him off guard. It couldn't be her. He left the state so that she could have all the newspapers on the east coast and he could just have California. This wasn't allowed to happen. California was his. She couldn't possibly be coming here to flirt and rub it in his face. Rory was even a clubbing type girl. And why in the hell was she flirting with that loser Jason.

Logan could hardly retain himself anymore when he saw her walk the opposite direction towards the lady's room. He jumped up and threatened Jason to find another girl for the night because that one wasn't his for the taking. Jason noticed the unstable look in his boss's eyes and accepted that he had gone mad. No girl was worth crossing his superior and he understood that while he scrambled and worked his efforts elsewhere.

Logan could only stand there, staring down all the men in the room and willingly one of them to meet his gaze. There was no way anyone was leaving this scene with her. He glanced at where he was previously seated and noticed that his three girls where looking quite betrayed before they also made their way to the restrooms. Knowing that Rory might be back any second he heavily tipped the bartender and made it clear that Rory was to have everything she wanted, except any male attention. So he returned, to his previous seat and his attention more intent than ever on the sad brunette but everyone in his area knew the subject was not to be touched.

"No dad, I think I've heard enough." Logan got up from his chair after his mother's gruesome words and attempted to leave.

"And where are you going?" Shouted his father's booming voice.

"I've spent the last hour listening to both of you regret my decisions and regret me. I don't have to be here, I don't have to listen to this. Rory is my wife now and frankly, I could care less what you think of us but mom, it would do you some good to not insult your daughter in law because as you get older, I can promise you that Rory will be more forgiving of you than I ever will be. And dad, you should be happy that I married someone with a brain, not a compassion-less floozy you call my mother."

"You watch your mouth Logan!" Retaliated Mitchum with a point of his finger.

Logan was on his way out the door but stopped when he heard his grandfather mutter the same sentence for what felt like the hundredth time that night.

"It's good to see you back my boy, I only wish it were under better circumstances."

He sighed before repeating, "How are you doing these days grandpa?"

Logan respectively touched the shoulder of his shrunken grandfather in greeting. They were in the study of the grand Huntzberger mansion and the old man looked withered in his wheelchair next to the impressively large bookshelves that covered the room with every imaginable piece of writing.

"I think my doctor's trying to kill me." Said his grandfather.

His expression was so serious that any stranger could believe his accusations.

"Dr. Cooper? He's been our family doctor for decades, why begin any assassination attempts now?" Asked Logan trying to reason with the old man.

"He's got to start sometime," he mumbled while aligning his trousers.

Perhaps with his new onset of dementia he could forget the discomfort and fatigue brought on by the chemotherapy. Logan could only stare on in amazement at the depleting form of Elias Huntzberger. The man grumbling about and adjusting himself without shame was hardly the sophisticated grandfather with a hard expression that only grunted at Logan in acknowledgment. That man had faded with the aggressive cancer and could barely keep up with his old mannerisms.

"It's good that your back, I believe he misses you." Mitchum spoke so quickly that Logan could hardly make out the nicest sentence his father had been able to verbalize in the past week.

"You never mentioned that he was this bad." Said Logan.

"You never mentioned that you were going to get married."

"And to a lady of the evening no less!" Shouted an enraged Shira.

"My boy! You tied the knot with a prostitute?" His roaring laughter followed, " I once met a prostitute in Paris... she was a pleasant young lady! She cooked and cleaned and...by god I think I forgot where she went!" He swung his head around, expecting to find a French woman hiding under his wheelchair.

Mitchum and Shira only rolled their eyes at the delusional old man and Logan glared at them both, "I knew I shouldn't have come. I knew it was too good to believe that you just needed extra help with the papers because of grandpa's condition but I suppose I should have expected to be tag teamed by a couple of know-nothing idiots."

His mother swallowed her alcoholic beverage with one nasty look, "I know enough to predict that your newest mistake will cost us all of our money once that girl realizes our son was too moronic to get a pre-nup. You alone will be responsible for our name to be degraded and our accounts to be wiped out."

Logan was past telling his parents of the real nature of Rory Gilmore. They would never really believe that Rory was the type of girl that could be offered the world and it would be in vain.

"Logan where are you going?" His father shouted while his son slid back into his jacket.

"I'm going to buy the Advocate." Said Logan matter-of-factly.

* * *

Rory hated her residence at night. Finding parking near her apartment at ten o'clock nightfall was a pain when most people held typical nine to five jobs. She was left with the terrifying task of parking nearly a block away and hiking the distance in a neighborhood where the only noise was police sirens. Alas, she was left with no choice and exited the safety of her car for the New York street.

After three years she'd gotten used to being alone but moments like these made that especially hard. She sometimes felt like she was missing out on some sort of safety figure. A brother, a bodyguard, perhaps a boyfriend. A real boyfriend, one who wouldn't leave her one day and marry her the next. One whose last name was unknown and unpopular, one who had parents that were less involved and distant.

Closer to her house she noticed one home in particular that was still awake. Through second story of a home she saw a mother putting her newborn to sleep. The cradle was positioned near the window and the mother was slowly letting the baby down. She looked overworked and under paid. No one looked as tired and worried that a baby might wake at sudden movements than her. Then Rory noticed a male come in the room, he seemed to be laughing loudly which infuriated the mother but before she could protest he kissed her. Quickly and powerfully. Rory never felt like so much of a Peeping Tom in her life. However, she couldn't look away because the moment the kiss ended the woman looked younger, revived, excited. It made Rory wonder if perhaps she had ever really seen the woman look tired in the first place. Was that how love was suppose to feel like?

She finally got to her apartment and started to unlock the door, only her key was useless because it was already open. She looked around to see if there was any neighbor around to witness her panic. Had she truly been as stupid as to leave that morning without locking the door?

She pushed the door open and stepped one foot inside afraid that maybe she wasn't the only person in her home. Everything was completely dark of course and she silent cursed herself for not leaving a light on. She slowly closed the door so that it wouldn't make a noise and carefully walked through a long corridor that led to her living room, the only place where she kept a night light always on. It was when she started tip toeing that she realized how paranoid she was behaving. After all, who would have known if she had left the door open but then she remembered she was in New York. There was a reason all the doors here had so many locks.

When she had arrived to the living room she saw something that almost made her jump out of her skin.

"Hey Ace."

It was none other than Logan Huntzberger casually sitting back in her couch reading one of her newspaper articles as if it was completely natural. The small light in the corner slightly gave away his features and blonde hair.

"Jesus what are you doing here!"

"No you must be mistaken, it's Logan."

"No, it's humpty dumpty sitting in my couch and reading my stuff!" She reached over and snatched the paper right out of his hands.

"I must say your articles have gotten better with age."

"I wish I could say the same thing about your manners. I left you the entire state of California and you come and intrude on my small space? How did you get in?" Her voice turned no nonsense and Logan realized it was in his best interest to comply.

"Your landlord let me in." He stood and took two strides to get to her never breaking eye contact.

Rory could hardly make out his features now that he was away from the light but she inched away as his proximity grew nearer.

"And why would he do that?" She asked, honestly curious.

"Because I showed him my wedding right and told him you forgot to give me a key." He reached out, unsure of how to proceed around her but wanting nothing more than to touch her.

"Great, now I know what to sue for. Get out." She demanded.

Logan knew he should have come up with a plan better than this but time was crunched.

"Rory can we please just talk like regular human beings. You should have known that this was going to happen eventually with the way we left things and its not like you've been returning any of my calls. You might have given me California but I want you."

He sounded so sincere that Rory couldn't help but feel remorse for not communicating properly. Maybe she just should have told him back in the penthouse that she wanted an annulment or separation. She could understand how their last kiss could have confused him into thinking everything would be as it was before only with rings. Why had she even kissed him?

"You want to talk..." Her voice made it sound like a question and Logan knew that he needed to be more convincing if he wanted to hear anything from her tonight.

"Yes, just talk. I'll even sit in that chair and you can have the couch." He was referring to the chair that was near the entrance of the corridor and the longest distance from her.

She glanced between the two spaces almost as if judging the distance.

Finally, "I suppose we could do that."

He wasted no time and went to sit in his corner while Rory went to her's wondering what she had just agreed to.

* * *

For a long time they only stared at each other. Unsure of how to go about speaking for the first time in years. Neither one wanted to offend and both had so much to say but couldn't find a way to adequately put the words together. It was intimating, staring at a person that had all the answers. Both of them floundered a bit at small talk before Rory eventually spoke.

"Why did we get married?" She whispered.

"Because we both wanted to," when he saw her dissatisfied expression Logan added, "we talked that night and you told me that you were tired of being alone. Kept saying that your life was ironic and less than ordinary."

"I was drunk." She advised.

He didn't meet her eyes, "So was I."

"And no one tried to stop us?"

"Why would they? We looked happy and in love."

"Well we weren't. We were just drunk and horny and someone should have been adult enough to stop us, including the judge!"

"Is it so hard for you to believe that maybe we're still in love?" His voice was accusing but his expression unreadable.

"We're not in love Logan! This isn't love that your feeling. It's infatuation and boredom because maybe you've missed out on some conquests while in California and thought that marrying me might settle things but this," she motioned to the space surround them, "this is not love. This is you trying to believe that our mistake was fate."

Her words nearly broke his heart all over again.

"Rory I didn't marry you to settle anything! We got married because we wanted to because I asked you and this time you said yes. You swore in front of me, in front of the judge, in front of strangers that we would honor each other and love each other for the rest of our lives. Why are you regretting your vows now?"

"They are not my vows if I don't even remembered saying them."

"Well I guess you should have though of that before you had that extra bottle of tequila." He challenged.

They were both angry now and both glared at each other with a type of defiance that was uncanny. Both wanted to be right, both wanted each other to see their points of view. So Rory decided it would be best to be honest because perhaps it would get him out of her apartment and on with life that she felt she was wasting.

"I want a divorce."

That quieted the room.

His eyes were immediately on her, trying to sense any type of lie or uncertainty in her words but there were none. She looked very much collected on the exterior but she refused to make eye contact, she only stared straight ahead at the wall in front of her.

This could not be happening to him. This felt so much worse than her first rejection and he couldn't move for a few minutes.

Finally, he let out a sigh and leaned forward in his chair before resting his head in his hands. She was the only woman alive that could make him feel this powerless and weak. His chest ached at her words and the pain got worse with the minutes, it felt like someone had just knocked him down with heavy weights. Divorce? That word was foreign to him, even his parents didn't use it. He knew Rory didn't want to the marriage but to just end it without trying?

"Did you he -"

"I heard you." He admitted.

He got up from his chair and started to leave.

"I'll have my lawyers contact yours." He said before exiting quickly.

She followed him out to lock the door behind him. She was beginning to feel slightly guilty that she could be responsible for his dramatic mood change but what she said was going to be known eventually. The faster this ended the quicker she got her life back. What did he expect? That she would go around pretending to be the perfect housewife for a Huntzberger. His story seemed off anyhow...

When he opened the door to leave Rory stopped him.

"Logan...um...I don't really, I mean I can't afford a lawyer."

"I'll get mine to work on everything, things should get back to normal within a month." He promised. He managed a small smile for reassurance but it didn't match his lost expression.

Before he turned around to leave she grabbed his arm, "Thank you Logan."

He sighed for the last time that evening and fixed his gaze at the ground. He should have known not to push her and he hated that this was their fate. To never truly be together. It was embarrassing and hurtful beyond belief, he couldn't begin to imagine what his parents would say. This would be the last time he saw her before the divorce proceedings.

He looked into her stunning blue eyes, they seemed to mirror his sadness and for a minute he wondered if she was just as pained as he.

He just couldn't help himself, "One last thing."

And with one hand he pushed her to him, with the other he grabbed her face and pulled her in for one last kiss.

It was sweet. Simple. And a godsend for both of them. It didn't matter that he started it or that she kissed him back because it was over in a second and he started walking away. He didn't look back, not because he didn't want to but because he wouldn't leave her if he had.

Rory froze and stayed put, her eyes still closed and her lips still pouted out. That was it? How was she suppose to remember him with that split second moment. Her lips would not give that up so when she heard him start walking away before she could think of her actions, she grabbed him and willed him to turn around.

She didn't need to say another word because Logan knew that look on her face, she wanted more. She was going to take advantage that this was their last time. Her lips brushed against his, slowly and deliberately knowing that he would never refuse her and she was right. He merely push her body closer and enjoyed the feeling of his wife's lips. The kiss was distressingly gentle and dragged out, both wanting to remember this moment for has long as possible. Rory eventually stared letting her hands run through his hair to remember the feel and he retaliated by roaming her body. Then, just when he thought it would be done with and over, she licked his bottom lip and bit down lightly.

At this point Logan had to stop and make sure he was kissing the right girl. Would this woman really give him all the grief and then do this? When he opened his eyes Rory could see all the lust she had caused, this is how she wanted to remember him not hurt or upset.

"Maybe we should go back inside," she said while nibbling near his ear lope.

Logan could feel the goosebumps rise and his blood begin to boil with excitement so he came up with an alternative.

"Maybe we should go in your bedroom."

She merely nodded against his lips and Logan grabbed her form and carried her bridal style through her threshold then kicked the door shut with his foot. Rory refused to detached herself from his neck and only pointed the way to her bedroom.

Logan didn't argue about the darkness that filled the home and the absence of light, he hurried to the bedroom and once he found it he sat himself on the bed. Rory adjusted herself so that she was straddling him but Logan wasn't having it. He grabbed her and laid her breathless form on the bed and began to kiss her devastatingly slow. This was much of a disgrace to her because all she really wanted to feel was him on her.

She whimpered, trying to adjust her body so that she could feel his bulge over her heated core. He chuckled when he heard her impatience.

"If this is our last time, it's not going to happen that fast." He declared.

Rory couldn't even begin to form new words because of the maddening tickle she felt through her pants. Logan was now laying the sweetest open mouth kisses on her neck while rubbing the tension in her core. When his mouth finally reached the tops of her breasts he pulled her up and easily peeled off her shirt. She was in her blue bra now, her breasts looking like they were struggling to come out of their restraints. The blue reminded him of her eyes and he looked up, giving her a chaste kiss and squeezing one of her breasts. Rory didn't even try to suppress that moan and it encouraged him take off the bra. Rory began to feel her excitement rise almost like a young girl at a Barbie store. She want to be touch by Logan, her impatience alone made her giggly. She hadn't felt this way in three years.

Once she was completely topless he sat back to fully enjoy the view before continuing. Noticing what he was doing she smacked him playfully and pulled his shirt over his head. Now it was Rory's turn to ogle and touch and she made sure to wander through every part of his muscular chest before she got curious.

She distracted him with a kiss and pushed him down to her where they both let out their loudest moan yet at the feeling of their bare chests together. She started to rub herself up and down on him, their hard nipples having contact with each other and making the movements feel so much more incredible. Then she grabbed his hips and pulled him even lower on her so that their was no gaping space and she could continue to rub on him, all of him, including his throbbing cock. Logan stared at the creature under him in amazement, his intense gaze made her smile shyly, her whole face radiating.

Both of them felt their blood rushing to their lower parts, preparing their bodies for the inevitable. However, Logan downright refused to let it be over just yet. He slid her pants off, something she willingly gave up to the floor and before Logan could even place them down her thong was gone too.

She was tired and horny and ready for him.

"Logan, take off your pants." She gasped viciously.

"Stop telling me what to do." He joked, knowing full well that this would be their last argument as a married couple and it was in her best interest to lose it.

"Your my husband!" She said in spite of herself.

"Exactly why I'm not going to do it." He said and split her legs wide open before licked her folds bottom to top.

She couldn't argue anymore, she only arched her back in the absolute pleasure and it was then Logan realized he was free to do as he pleased. She wasn't coming back from this.

He began rubbing her clit with his finger and darting his tongue in and out of her opening. Rory had never felt so much pleasure in her life. His soft tongue was further wetting her core and the sensations he caused where getting ridiculous. He stared right at her in shock of how wet she already was and Rory stared back while a wave of pleasure hit her, hard. Logan really did know how to make her feel like the sexiest woman alive. His warm delicate tongue gliding along her folds felt like heaven and the softness with which his tongue dealt with her made her want to scream. This was Logan Huntzberger, he was the only man responsible for this.

She was sufficiently wet now, she was gushing with pleasure. He could see it, hear it, feel it. He didn't want this feeling to leave him so he detached himself from her despite her madding cries for him to continue and he shed his pants to give her something better. His cock erect and Rory's insides got ready to greet him.

He very slowly slid himself inside her not wanted to cause any harm but then they could both feel it...the orgasm nearing. Their bodies both feeling like they were going to explode and meet the high heavens when they had just started. So Logan went decisively slow, choosing to build up the orgasm and the feelings in their stomachs. The couple swore at the feelings of their united bodies in this moment of sheer ecstasy. All their senses felt sharp and heighten and then Logan couldn't take it anymore. He started moving faster inside her, both loving the feeling of their closeness. Then it came. It felt like a wave of pleasure that had ran over them for that second and unleashed every good feeling known to man. The pressure was instantly taken off their extremities.

"God Rory...your extraordinary." He said while he peaked and Rory only tried to keep breathing.

The laid together trying their best regain their breaths but there really wasn't much to do for those minutes except look at each other. Logan's chocolate brown eyes where heavy with sadness now that their shared night was over. Rory knew she'd never find a man that could give her all he had just given and her expression portrayed that. Both had wants and needs and both were royally screwed.

Logan realized he was still inside her and slowly made his way out taking every bit of her left over cum on his penis. An embarrassed Rory whimper at the sight and it made him laugh.

"I think its sexy that you wanted it that much." He said with a smirk.

Oh, so the smirk was back now.

Rory looked at him, unsure of what had just gone on and he seemed to notice her confusion.

"It's ok I'm leaving," he said gathering his things.

"No, please stay the night. I think it's raining...and I don't really like being alone when its thundering."

He seemed to be thrilled with her answer because he immediately went back to the bed moving the sheets over them both to escape the cold. Knowing how much of a blanket hog she was he made sure to complete tuck her in the furry material, Rory was surprised that this habit of his never left him. Her heart warmed even more at the sight and she scooted herself onto him so that she she rested directly on his shoulder.

The feel and the smell seemed so familiar to her that it brought her back a couple years to when they had been intimate for the first time.

_They were both so tired after making love that long. She appreciated the fact that Logan was the only man she'd met that took his time and cherished every part of her, not just the parts that were suitable for him. She was so thankful that Paris wasn't in the dorm this night, she would surely have heard the progressions in her room. Logan and her hadn't yet mastered how to be stealthy and silent, though the window maneuvering was a start._

_They were finished lovemaking but that didn't mean the kisses were over. They continued to heavily make out while nude, like teenagers that would never see tomorrow. Rory had never been this way with anyone, not even Dean. With Logan she could let herself go. With Logan she felt vibrant and alive and energetic and possibly insane because no man could make a girl like her feel all of these things together. She didn't feel like the bookish young thing that intimidated the guys, Logan gave her the freedom to be foolish and flirty and especially dirty. She had never had that power before._

"_That was the best I've ever had." Rory admitted once the kissing was over._

"_And I," he said kissing her forehead, "Would have to agree."_

_They both rolled over getting ready for sleep to take them both, it wasn't hard. Rory rested her head on his shoulder and she could feel all his hard work was beginning to make him doze off._

_Rory started to think._

"_What would have happened if it was the opposite of the best we've ever had."_

_Logan was already half sleep, "Ace, I'd still be around if it was the opposite of the best," he said with a yawn._

"_That's good." She nodded as if they were talking of casual things._

_After a moment, her curiosity could no longer take it._

"_And why would you still be around?"_

_It took him a minute and Rory wasn't sure he even knew what he was saying in his sleep but he mumbled, "I think I love you."_

That memory had never left Rory and it was one that she treasured because no one else but her really knew who was the first to show some signs for commitment, not even Logan himself. It's why she never minded opening up to Logan and being the first to exchange "I love you's" because she knew how Logan's subconscious's mind felt and that had to count for something. The night endeared him even more to her.

Rory kept thinking back to the details of that night until she eventually fell asleep and ended up saying a couple haunting words of her own, "I don't want to be alone."

Next to her Logan startled when he heard her, he could hardly make out what she had said but once he did it was clear. He was not backing out now. Not after all they had just done. No woman could have made the same noises and had the same expressions she had unless they were still in love. He couldn't fool himself, there will be no letting go. He was more determined than ever not to give her a divorce because she may not have known it yet but this was love.

As far as he concerned she would die with the name Huntzberger.

**AUTHORS NOTE: For those of you who are repeated reviews - I thank you. Unfortunately the amount of people that have been reviewing is lousy. Let's fix that people. I want to get people excited about Gilmore Girls again! Tell your friends, tell your coworkers to read. I want people who aren't afraid to read and get caught up in the characters. Or even complain about my writing if you must. This category of Fanfic just needs more passionate people. Lets all write more and review more.**


	5. Chapter 5

Rory woke to the harsh sunlight in her eyes streaming from the curtain-less window in her bedroom. It brought her back to her surroundings and allowed her memories to swarm back rapidly. The divorce talk, the kissing, the sex. This time it was all stored in her photographic memory for future references, every heart-breaking look he gave while he was inside her would never be forgotten now. She didn't bother to lift her sheets to recognize that she was still nude from the night before and she came to realize that she was naked in bed for the second time in less than a month. Could she not have been bothered to put on some clothes before she fell asleep at least? What kind of woman was she turning into? She couldn't even blame Logan anymore because last night was started by her, continued by her, and carried out by her.

She stared at the clock on her bed side and noticed that it read 8:50. She needed to shower and worry about the consequences of what they had done later because as of now she was drastically late for work. She knew that a naked Logan was not want she needed at the moment so withholding her gaze from where she knew he must be, she made sure to stretch out her arm out to poke him but only ended up with a handful of bed sheets. Shocked, she sat up quickly causing her whole room to spin and realized that for the first time after sex Logan Huntzberger did not stay.

She touched the spot where he laid only to find that it was brutally cold. Where ever he went he must have left a while ago, Rory scanned her room for anymore trances of him but there was nothing. He hadn't left anything and he hadn't even bothered to trip on anything to wake her, so far it seemed as though the entirety of last night could have been placed in Rory's imagination. Logan had never been the one to not be around in the morning, at least not with her and she could not have been stupid enough to pursue him after asking for a divorce. Perhaps the previous night was a dream or some type of reaction to something sickening she saw in cable news but then why would she be naked? Nothing was really adding up except for the fact that she might need to be institutionalized if her memories of something that didn't happen felt so concrete.

Slowly she got out of bed and put on a silk rope. She marveled over the fact the she felt no soreness anywhere on her body, this was very unlike the first time she woke nude. Suspicious and drowsy she made her way towards her kitchen to start her coffee before she had to head to work and that's when it became obvious that she could still be asleep.

Every square inch of her kitchen was covered with freshly cooked breakfast. Her counters that wrapped around the entirety of the kitchen where filled with her choice of different flavored pancakes, french toast and doughnuts. She noticed three different types of eggs and a heft pile of beacon. Her island was stacked up with cheese and guava filled pastries, there were also croissants that looked already buttered and ready to go. Muffins and every type of fruit imaginable where on her kitchen table. Rory only came up with one excuse: she must have gone to sleep hungry and not waken up. Nevertheless she made her way straight to the coffee. The person that had set it up must have taken their time because there was a system, different coffees from all over the world in alphabetical order. They took the time to set up the coffee samples for her to try and she knew she must have died in her sleep and gone straight to heaven.

She tried each one, giving her taste buds only a couple seconds to adjust before she moved on to the next one but a card on the upper right of all the coffees caught her attention before she could thoroughly continue. It had her name on it so she picked it up and opened it.

_Good morning Ace,_

_I'm sorry I couldn't be there when you woke up this time but duty calls. I hope you enjoy my demonstration of breakfast because it took an arm and a leg to get all those people to fit in your apartment. Funny, the catering company thought this was for a group of people to enjoy and I didn't bother telling them it was a party of one. They'd never believe me anyways. Thanks for last night it meant more than you know and I'm looking forward to seeing you again when the time is right. And yes this food is all for you I figured you couldn't run this time if I bought it directly to your kitchen. Good luck making all this disappear._

_-Logan_

Rory bit down on a beagle and smiled at the creative thinking it took for one man to pull this off.

* * *

Rory felt like she hadn't been in the _Advocate _in years. Her mind and body were physically exhausted, her life was beginning to feel like the definition of complicated. She hadn't gone back to work since her drunken night in Los Angeles and even called in sick for an entire week only to meet with the useless lawyers. Frankly, the only reason she returned to the towering skyscraper that was the _Advocate _was because she feared that one more day off would surely render her fired.

With her week of inside moping done in her apartment she was grateful that she lived in a city where Chinese and pizza could be delivered within the ten minutes ordered. She never had to wait to stuff her face and brood over her ruined relationship with her mother and grandparents. Rory could clearly remember the day Loreali called her after she had arrived from California. She had hardly settled back down from the flight and her mother sounded very casual on the phone, breezy even before she mentioned she knew what she had done and found out through Emily. Rory could tell that it took her mother everything she had not to raise her voice at her adult-daughter's decisions and the impromptu phone call ended pretty quickly.

It was while Rory was watching a perky T.V. host that she realized the motto in that day's broadcasting: happiness. It was a three syllable noun that revolved around some kind of optimism and high spirit. This was about the same time she learned that she could either be upset and stay fed-up with her life and her constant bad luck, or she could shower and go back to work. The thing she realized about happiness was that it didn't come from moping around and feeling sorry for one's self. If she wanted to be happy, if she wanted great things to happen she need to stop taking crap from everyone around her and make those great things happen herself. She couldn't be a divorcee in her late twenties with no job blaming her bad luck on one particular man. As a Gilmore she had to go out and face up to her mistake. She had to shower, put on clean clothes, and get out of her bourbon scented apartment. However, that's when Logan showed up and she went after him sober and aware that somethings never change.

After finishing what she could of Logan's grand breakfast and taking the hottest shower possible without melting, she marched through the crowded streets of New York City hopeful that today would be a good Logan-free day.

Once she arrived at the correct address she advanced inside the building, she passed the familiar front-desk receptionist with the always pinched looking face and rode the elevator to the fifteenth floor. When the elevator doors parted she was received by the smell of ink and paper, the sound of delirious typing and phones that needed to be answered. It was nice to be back.

Then something grabbed a hold of her arm and pulled her away, "Where in the hell have you been? I was beginning to thing that you did something unspeakable and got laid off."

It was Charlene, the reporter that befriended her when she began working in the paper. The two women had graduated college the same year and gotten journalist jobs at the Advocate within only a few months apart. There were other co-workers on their floor level that were the same age but Charlene and her similar goals intrigued them both into becoming close office friends.

"I was in California."

"For two weeks? It was only a simple job interview and I still don't see the reason why it was so important to travel half-way across the country for one. There are plenty of jobs here in New York!" Looking into Charlene's hectic eyes made her realize that her friend didn't believe there was anything west on New York.

"Well...did you get it?" She asked eagerly anyways.

"No, apparently I wasn't right for the job." Rory tried her best to keep her voice monotone.

"Oh," Charlene sounded slightly relieved, "well then why the long commute back?"

Before Rory could fake a lie, her boss exited his office and started gathering all reporters to listen to his ground-breaking news. Groans were heard everywhere but people collected in front of the graying forty year old Keygan Avery.

"Good morning and I wanted to start off by saying that I hope you all enjoyed the Fourth of July. However, it's Monday now and everything is business as usual except I just got some news that we will have some very important visitors today. The owner of this newspaper as you all must know by now is under-going heart surgery. He isn't expected to live much longer and so he is trying to sell the paper to a more reliable publishing group. Now, that means good news and bad news. Good news: the owner of the paper has chosen to keep everyone in their positions, so if there is a merger no one should panic. Bad news: I'll be riding everyone's ass for perfection. The men that will come here today are the all-important alphas of the newspaper industry,they will not be impressed by water-cooler gossip. Do not disappoint me. You are advised." Notified Avery while making sure to glare at every one of his employees individually.

Employees started to scatter with the conclusion of the speech but before Charlene and Rory could continue their chat Avery made a route straight to Rory.

"Ms. Gilmore can I speak to you in private?" He asked while eying Charlene.

If Rory hadn't known any better she could almost swear that Avery sounded a bit frightened, Charlene took the hint and left to where she had came.

"Look I know I haven't been here lately," began Rory, "But..."

"Hush Gilmore! We have bigger problems than that right now."

Avery's short body got so close to Rory's that she could smell the decaf on his rotting teeth. They were a whole head apart in height but that didn't stop him from intimidating all of his employees. He appeared quite crazed at the moment and made sure that there weren't others listening before continuing.

"One of the owners from the merger is already here." Whispered Avery, his eyes darting everywhere in news room in alarm.

"What? Already?" Worried Rory.

"He said he wanted to get a head start on what needs to be done but he told me not to alert anyone of his presence. The prick is already taking over my office and shooting orders at me even though his company hasn't bought our paper yet!"

"And what does this have to do with me?" She asked.

"He asked me to come find you because there's something he needs to discuss with you. With the way he put it, it seemed as though you two were going to talk war strategies. Is there anything I need to know?"

A nervous Rory had to think a couple seconds before formulating a sentence.

"Why does he want to speak with me? Is it about my absences? Am I going to get fired?" Asked a terrified Rory. She knew calling in sick that extra week was going to come back and bite her in the ass. Not only did all the newspapers in the country not want her but now the _Advocate_ was done with her too and this was all before she even really got started.

Avery rolled his eyes with Rory in tow while he escorted her to his office, "I don't know Gilmore. Do I look like a Huntzberger?"

Rory's heart stopped beating for a split second.

They were already outside Avery's office and she already knew what was to come. She was willing to bet her whole inheritance that Mitchum Huntzberger was waiting to fire her from the inside of those doors. She cursed the fact that the blinds were closed and she couldn't get a good view of his sinister countenance before running the other way.

"I can't go in there." She stayed rooted to her spot in front of the double doors.

"You can't be serious Gilmore. If I have to put up with this breach then so do you, so grow a pair and go talk to your new boss."

Rory could tell this was an order, not a request.

She put a hand on the handle but her body refused to turn the knob. It had been so long since she saw daddy Huntzberger and since then he managed to ruin her credibility as a serious reporter. What was she to say to him now when she had no defense and she knew how unacceptable her absences had been. She was finished and the only thing she wished at the moment was to have the bravery to walk in and face the vicious old man alone. Her drunken self would have never had a problem with this.

With Avery still watching her she hurriedly turned the knob as quickly as ripping out a banded aid. She was a Gilmore and as of a couple weeks ago a Huntzberger as well, she had nothing to be afraid of. Mitchum wouldn't be capable of being hostile to family or at least that's where all her hope was inclining. She heard Avery slam the door behind her, leaving no witnesses and that's she began regretting her bravery.

Stepping inside she had noticed that all of Avery's things were already packed up in boxes lined up by the door. Mighty Mitchum Huntzberger wasted no time in making himself at home and the only things that weren't boxed up where the picture frames that hung ancient _Advocate_ articles. Rory wondered what Avery's reaction would be when the articles came down and his chocolate stash was discovered. She heard the old Huntzberger cough lightly from his place behind the desk and Rory couldn't help but be intimidated by the man and the small space where she was being held captive. She could not directly see him due to the fact that his very wide chair was facing the towards the extravagant window that offered the best view of the moving city. Of course daddy Huntzberger would want Avery's office space when it held this type of scenery, one could hide the Brooklyn Bridge with a thumb from this position and Mitchum always did have a knack for behaving like an all powerful being with a God complex.

She could see the top of his blonde hair poking out from the top of his seat and just the knowledge that she was breathing the same air as this fiend disgusted her. She just had to keep reminding herself that she was still married to Logan and he couldn't very well dispose of her that quickly due to the fact that Logan would surely go looking for her body. Or so she hoped.

Her thoughts were interrupted when the man sitting on the chair spun around to face her.

"Morning Ace, how was breakfast?"

Rory nearly collapsed at the surprise he repeatedly induced on her because for the second time in only a few hours Logan Huntzberger was sitting in front of her with the most wicked smile.

"Are you trying to kill me?" She whispered murderously when her voice failed her.

"No Ace, your engine still has a few more years in it." He stood from his seat put his hands in the pocket of his business suit. The professionalism was ridiculous adorable on him, he still hadn't shaved his five o'clock shadow but the look gave him a rustic appearance adorn by all writers.

"I knock off ten years for each surprise like this."

He looked immensely serious as he walked towards her, "That only leaves me with forty years left of you."

"Well that's tough, I guess your better off not sneaking up on people."

He smiled, already standing directly in front of her in his blonde brilliance.

"Forty years isn't so bad. I think I'll take what I can get." And faster than she realized his lips came crashing down on hers.

And all her frustration melted away.

The kiss was better than any shared the previous night because this was the morning after embrace and it was worth the wait. When it ended he continued to cupped her face in his hands and both allowed the hectic feelings from their kiss to subside with their foreheads pressed against each other.

"I wish I could have woken up with you this morning but I had to be here early."

She looked around at the office he managed to take over in such a short amount of time.

"Your buying the _Advocate_." It was a comment, not a question.

Logan sighed when she detached herself from him and walked away towards his desk in the middle of the room as far from him as she could get.

"Why?" She asked forcefully.

"It's nothing personal Rory. The Huntzberger Publishing Group is expanding and this paper was always meant to be bought we were just waiting for the right time."

"We?" She questioned.

"My dad and I." He admitted looked at the ground.

"So you work for your dad now?"

"Rory," he said running a hand through his hair, "Elias is sick and he's not getting any better. I had to sell my half of my company in L.A. before coming here."

"How long."

"What?" Logan truly didn't understand where she was going with this.

"How long had you been working for your father before he decided to blacklist me."

"Today's my first day." He admitted.

Rory's head was spinning so fast she couldn't make sense of anything.

"I heard about what my father did to you," he said while caught up in her blue orbs, "Rory I'm sorry. I always knew your plans and I respected them and I knew that one day you'd work yourself to where you needed to be. I would have never imagined that my father would be involved in your career, I actually thought the opposite, that after we ended maybe he'd forget all about you. I don't know what's in his head but I can assure you that he won't be heading this merger. I will."

"Apologizing doesn't fix anything Logan! No one will hire me, why do you think I went all the way to California for a job interview? Do you think I enjoy the miles on my card? And every time I would just hear about how I didn't cut it to work in their newspapers. Mitchum was superb. At least it took me a while to figure out he was behind everything and now your buying the _Advocate_ which is just about the only thing I have left."

"Rory I want to help you."

"Why? You've been away for three years." She said in disbelief of his cavalier attitude.

"I'm back now and I won't let my dad take this away from you." He said motioning to the room around them.

"Why are you trying to help me?" It had been her burning question for quite some time now.

"Think of it as a separation present," he commented with a twinkle in his eye and his world famous smirk.

"So...I'm not getting fired?" She just had to ask.

Logan laughed, "Rest assured Ace, I don't usually fire a girl I spend the night with."

"Logan I think that if this is going to work we have to be-"

"Professional?" He interrupted.

"Meaning no mention of the past."

"Do you consider the past being within the last five hours or the last three years?"

"Logan!"

He seemed to be enjoying himself too much for a soon-to-be-divorced man.

"Alright. No mention of the past but before we begin this new objective I think it would be fair to return this." A smirk remained on his features the entire time that he reached for his pocket and pulled out Rory's lacy thong from the night before.

She remained baffled in front of him and turned all shades of red when she reached to take it.

"How did you get this?" A mortified Rory asked.

"I thought we weren't suppose to be talking about the past," he said but decided that he needed to give a more serious answer after seeing her expression turning hostile, "Okay well when you nearly chucked it past my head last night it-"

"Alright!" She shouted not wanting to hear the rest anymore.

He chuckled when he noticed how she fidgeted nervously in her spot after shoving the undergarment in her pant pocket.

"Don't be shy now Ace, you didn't waste time on it yesterday. It's perfectly sane to want to have mind-blowing sex with your husband. In fact, many cultures encourage it. Hell I've got a cozy closet right over there if your ever in the need." He said pointing to the closet in the far left of the room.

Rory's gaze followed his hand but landed on something far more sinister. She gasped at the picture frame on Logan's desk wondering if he had truly wanted to ruin her career instead of help it. She had never heard of an inanimate object that had the power to affect her as much as this but this object had the ability to send her life crashing down with just one glance from the wrong person. She immediately walked towards the object and held it higher to get a better view, she could hear Logan sighing somewhere behind her almost knowing that he had been caught red handed.

Rory looked on at the picture in front of her. It was taken years ago at the beginning stages of their courtship back when their biggest worries were passing their finals. It was them in the Life and Death Brigade event where they had both jumped off of a platform and fallen in love almost instantly. The picture was taken seconds after the fall and it showed a spirited Logan grabbing onto Rory's waist and smiling down at her crazy appearance. She was looking mind blown after what had taken place but she smiled back at Logan just as eagerly.

Rory couldn't believe that he would just put a picture like this in his office desk as if it was just some lamp. If the wrong person saw this it would all be over.

"Why do you have this here?" Questioned Rory.

"I wanted a picture of my wife as a good luck charm." He answered simply regretting the fact that he kept the picture out when he knew he was going to see her.

"Ex wife." Corrected Rory.

"Not yet."

They both entered a very serious staring contest before Rory spoke first.

"Do you want people to know that we're married?"

"It's a picture Rory."

"Exactly." She said as if she had just solved the world's hardest math problem.

"So who's going the find out? The cleaning ladies? I'm not going to lie Rory." He said, his brown eyes burning into her from his side of the room.

The two were both stopped when the door swung open revealing a stressed Avery. He quickly assessed the situation and apologized noticing the annoyed expression on Logan's features.

"Oh, sorry I should have knocked. I keep thinking this is still my office," he turned close the door again and mumbled under his breath, "because it was a couple hours ago."

Logan rolled his eyes, "Is there anything you were bringing?"

Avery seemed to weigh his options and ends up handing Logan a couple of papers he asked for earlier but before he could make his speedy exit he noticed something off about the vibe in the room. He looked between Rory and Logan and at the nontraditional interaction between employee and superior. Rory nearly looked guilty and too close to the personal mementos on Huntzberger's desk.

"Say," he began, "Do you two know each other?" He asked looking between the two young folk.

It didn't pass him that they exchanged a look before Logan answered.

"We're old friends. We went to Yale together and funny story we used to date for a short while too before I pro..."

"Yeah! We dated. A long time ago." Interrupted Rory making sure to emphasize the amount of time.

Avery looked like he was on the verge of a heart-attack when he heard this bit of information. How could this have gotten past him? Here he was beginning to worry about the merger and one of his very own had an inside connection to the future owner of the company. He suddenly stared at Rory more carefully and noticed how she was holding onto a frame and that caused a piece of jewelry to play off the sunshine of the large window.

In a matter of seconds Rory had become more interesting than he ever though possible.

"Rory, did you get married while you were away?" He asked abruptly, the ring now more noticeable as glinted with the natural light.

Logan's head swung around to Rory waiting to hear what she possibly had to say to her chief.

Rory froze but knew the truth had to be told eventually and it was far better if she could control it. She refused to let go of the picture frame for fear that he might ask about it or that her shaking hands would drop it and make it visible to him.

"Yes I did." She said while making an effort to not look in Logan's direction.

"You little sneak you could have mentioned this earlier," Avery said with a pleased smiled, "what should we call you now Gilmore?"

She noticed Logan about to speak, already forming the name she wanted so badly to bury.

"Gilmore!" She nearly screamed wanting to beat Logan to the punch.

Avery only looked between the two suspiciously and Rory could practically feel Logan's piercing glare.

"Still?" Asked a very confused Avery.

"Yes. It's better to keep it simple." She said forcing a smile.

"Well congratulations Gilmore, must be nice to be a newlywed." He muttered while leaving the office and shutting the door behind him so that he could go reminisce on his new thoughts.

When Logan and Rory heard his footsteps grow fainter and then eventually disappear Rory took the picture frame and pushed it in her purse.

"It's better if no one knows." She said.

Logan leaned against his farthest wall and closed his eyes.

"I'm not going to lie Rory. Being married is not something to be ashamed of," he opened his eyes to continue glaring at her, "I am not ashamed of you Rory."

"Why did you come here? To humiliate me? You said your trying to help me but I so far it really doesn't feel that way." She notified.

"I want to do more than help you Rory. I came to get your stories out there, promote you, have people remember your name."

"Because?"

"Because maybe in the future you can tell everyone about how your 'then husband' rescued you from the oppression of Mitchum's media empire. Just make sure you still refer to me as your master and commander in interviews." And the smirk was back just like that.

"I don't need or want your help Logan. I want to be in an interview and say that I got to where I wanted to be due to perseverance. Not my husband. However, if you would like to help me you could go talk to my mother and grandparents and explain to them that this marriage will be over soon and there's nothing to worry about because you telling them things that they didn't need to know was you pulling a complete stupid!"

"Rory I was trying to find you, I didn't know where you disappeared off to that morning and it's not like you were returning any of my calls. I just wanted to know you were safe...but if it will make you feel better I will sit down with all three of them and explain everything. You won't be to blame anymore but for that to happen I need you to do something for me..." He strode closer to her and stopped when he felt her breath.

"And what's that?" She asked softy.

She left out the fact that with him looking at her like that she'd do just about anything for him.

"There's a gala taking place at the Metropolitan Museum and it's going to honor the years of the Huntzberger Publishing Group, I need a date." He reached out to touch her cheek but she stepped back quickly nearly falling over his desk.

"No. Bring one of your California girls, I'm sure there are plenty and would be a lot more suitable for that type of thing. Hell, you probably have enough to chose from that you can spin them around a carrousel and categorize by physical traits. I'm not your girl."

She kept trying to back herself away as much as she could but the desk was in her away and her heels wouldn't exactly allow for a speedy exit. She was stuck, she could feel her upper thigh make contact with the cold mahogany desk and Logan was getting closer with every second. She knew she was in trouble when he grabbed her neck delicately and pushed her hair back so that he could have room to lay soft kisses on her neck. Rory's mind instantly returned to the previous night when he roamed her body with only his mouth.

"I don't have anymore girls Rory. Things have changed and I would really appreciate this last favor." He breathed into her ear. He knew that as much as Rory denied him she could never deny their chemistry.

Rory just wanted to make it stop and she did so the only way she knew how.

"Alright... maybe I can make it."

* * *

"I don't even know why I agreed to go! I have nothing to wear and I don't exactly have a bank account that permits spending thousands on a gown. It's a ridiculous piece of fabric that could feed an orphanage!"

Rory and Charlene had taken the rest of the day off in search for a gown appropriate enough to wear to a gala. Charlene had made it no secret that the only place to find something extravagant enough for this type of event was Fifth Avenue and Rory didn't hide the fact that she wasn't a Park Avenue trust fund babe. In nearly every store they walked into they were treated like second class citizens who were just window shopping and had no hope of bringing home a designer item. Charlene was the one who was dragging Rory to every store despite the terrible customer service because she was the one who had come up with the plan. Both girls would chip in five hundred dollars to purchase a gown but they would make sure to keep the price tags and return the dress the next day to get their hard earned money back.

Both girls thought it was a brilliant plan too, until they walked into the first designer shop and realized that the cheapest item was a scarf set at the no-haggling price of $1,500. With every shop they visited they kept losing hope and Rory couldn't help but wish she hadn't said yes to Logan. He surely wouldn't care what she showed up in as long as she showed but he also probably had no clue how difficult it was for a woman to attain a last minute gown in New York City.

"So who is this mystery man that invited you? He's got to be loaded if he's taking you to an invitation only gala." Charlene had been wanting to ask all afternoon but had been afraid to scare off a secretive Rory on her first day back to work.

"He's family...and he knows people." It wasn't a complete lie but she just wasn't ready to share with her new best friend.

"Right." Replied a suspicious Charlene and the two girls walked inside the Escada building.

Rory was immediately smitten with the dress they had on the window display and Charlene left to see if they had any matching shoes for the gray wrap gown.

"Can I help you?" Asked a skinny blonde from the counter.

"Yes," said Rory, "I really like that gown but I don't know what sizes they come in."

The blonde narrowed her green eyes, "That dress on display is a Kate Middleton dress and it's an original, meaning we have any more." She seemed like she had to translate for an idiot and her nasal voice reminded Rory of the stuck up teenagers in Chilton.

"What size does it come in?" Rory insisted, she had known that since beginning shopping the sales associates just wanted her and Charlene out of their pristine stores.

"Shouldn't you first ask how much it is."

Rory had never disliked someone as much as she did in that moment. She felt like she was better off receiving finer care in a prisoner camp.

"Rory Gilmore?" Asked an astounded voice from the store backdrop.

Behind the sales person came Stephanie Vanderbilt strutting to the scene from the dressing room area covered everywhere in thousand dollar price tags. She gathered in front of the two women and gave Rory a cheery hug where she could smell the Marc Jacobs perfume on the buoyant blonde. Rory caught herself smiling at the familiar face while Stephanie spun her around and got a good look at her missing friend after three years.

"What are you doing in New York?" Rory asked.

"I'm going to the same Gala as your husband." She winked.

"He told you?"

"He still tells us everything hun and I'm surprised it took this long for it to happen. I always though that after college that's when you two would stop being morons and just commit but hey, I guess somethings just happen in their own time." She smiled.

Rory couldn't think of anything to say to that.

Stephanie turned to the sales associate fiercely, "Are you giving my friend a hard time?"

The once impolite sales woman looked like she had just had her status brought down a couple notches by the heiress and refused to meet Steph's eyes, "No Miss Vanderbilt."

"It's not what it sounded like from the dressing room. How about you go and fetch everything my friends need on me. Don't talk to her, don't look at her just bring everything she needs if you want to keep your minimum wage job."

Logan couldn't have done it better himself and Rory herself feared Stephanie at that moment. Reducing a deserving sales associates to shreds would always be Stephanie Vanderbilt's favorite past time.

Stephanie shrugged, "You have to threaten the bitch."

"Steph, I can't accept your money." Rory said while looking at the daunting price tag on the dress.

"I wasn't asking you to. Just remember to name your first girl after me, okay?"

Rory paled and Stephanie laughed before going to change and leaving the store with millions of bags in toe. Ten minutes after she left Charlene returned with nude heels Rory's size and the surprised never left her face when Rory walked out of the store with a gown and heels, never bothering to reach for her wallet and pay for anything.

"I still don't know why the cops aren't after us." Charlene commented once in a cab.

"Because the alarm didn't ring." Rory said simply.

"And I still don't know how the alarm didn't ring."

"The clothes are on someone's else tab." She said looking out the window trying to hide the fact that she knew people.

"Someone that could afford all that? Who are you?" Charlene asked staring at Rory like she had grown five heads.

It didn't taken long for Rory to reach the apartment of Charlene's mom who was known to have her known beauty salon business in her kitchen. Together the three of them managed to style Rory's hair for the evening, apply her makeup, and fix her nails all in the comfort of the kitchen table. If tonight Rory was to party and dine amongst millionaires than at least she could feel a little more secure in herself.

* * *

It was past eight and Rory noticed how New York was far from putting out for the night. She was in a car that Logan had order to pick her up from her apartment, she didn't know the and much less the route that he was using to take her to the museum and for all she knew Logan's driver could have been instructed to take her to a brothel. Her gown was silky and it felt heavenly around her newly shaved legs. She couldn't remember the last time she had gotten dolled up for anyone or anything and it was pleasant having the neighborhoods boys stop their baseball plays so that they could watch her enter a mysterious car. It was nice and refreshing feeling pretty again.

It took longer than expected in the city traffic for them to reach the Metropolitan Museum but when they did it was definitely a sight. There were cameras flashing everywhere and crowds of reporters wanting to speak to the highly esteemed individuals that were slowly ascending the steps of the museum and making it up to the main event. There was a line of cars driving to the valet area where the rich and famous where escort out of their cars and into the eyes of the eager media. Rory was again starting to regret her decision. There had to be hundreds of cameras out there because the flash never stopped. The last thing she needed was a picture taken so that her coworkers would have proof that she was at this type of event but she also felt like fate had brought her here. How else could someone explain bumping into Stephanie, finding a perfect dress and being ready on time? Things just didn't happen like that for her anymore. Hopefully, she could steer clear of Logan until she was inside. It's not like the photographers would care much about some alone and random skinny brunette anyways.

"Hey Miss, this guy's going to open the door for you. Give Mr. Huntzberger my best." Said the driver.

_'If I can find him.' _Thought Rory looking at all the people on the steps of the museum.

"Hello Miss." Greeting the teenaged boy that held the door open for her.

He gave her a hand and she maneuvered her way out of the car and started walking up the steps making sure to avoid all eye contact. The people around her truly were glamorous and she noticed a couple well of known names in the newspaper industry that caught her by surprise. These were the writers that she had always looked up to as a child and now she was only feet away. The excitement was unavoidable.

She started thinking of possibly getting closer to the editor of the New York Times and striking a conversation about anything. He was bound to be in this type of event and she knew that she would never breathe the same air as him again except for this night. Maybe even talk of the pathetic weather would be ok as long as she got to say she actually spoke to the editor of the New York Times but at that moment someone caught her arm.

"Is that the dress Kate Middleton wore to an even last December?" Asked a man with a camera.

Rory didn't get to answer when heads turned in her direction and started eying her wardrobe choice, without questioning further people started snapping away at their cameras. So much for flying under the radar. She turned her back to them and walked faster than ever into the world-famous museum.

The past three years she had gotten so used to being invisible to men. They never held doors open for her much less let her have the last doughnut at a board meeting but tonight entering the museum she felt as if the past three years had been a part of her imagination. Perhaps it was the gown or maybe even the professional makeup but tonight, guys looked and they were looking at her. The museum was posh, every inch was marbelized and immaculate. It was filled with men in bow ties in evening wear and chatty women with their diamonds, each turning to notice the lost brunette beauty as she walked by.

Rory was just amazed with the types of people she saw. She had to hold her breath when her favorite writer from the New York Times bumped into her accidentally and apologized quickly. She couldn't believe he had touched her to begin with. After some more slight hyperventilation moments Rory saw a dashing Logan in the middle of a heated conversation with a group of people his age. After a moment the men all let out a roar of laughter at whatever he must have said and the women seemed hung on his every word. The Huntzberger charm really did hypnotize everyone. At that moment he must have felt her gaze because he paused in the middle of his conversation to look in her direction.

Her extremities started to tingle when they made eye contact and she figured it was her best bet to join him. They were right next to each other when his arm snaked around her waist, he was grinning like a mad man.

"You look stunning." Logan confessed.

There were only certain occasions when Rory had witnessed the sight of Logan in a tuxedo and it was never a disappointment. The newly shaved Logan with his somewhat brushed hair was definitely a sight.

"You clean up well." She had to be honest.

"Everyone," started Logan, "I would like to introduce you all to my wi -"

"Friend." She corrected before he could get away with it.

"Rory," he finished.

The assembled crowd all bellowed their hellos with grins.

"Rory, I would like you to meet the editor-in-chief of the New York Times."

Rory nearly froze when the man discussed went to shake her hand.

"Rory here works as a reporter for the _Advocate_, the new merger on the way. She's one of the best writers I've come across and ended up being Editor of the Yale Daily News back in our college days." Logan informed.

"Really? I'd love to read some of your work if that were possible." Said the lively editor.

Rory couldn't help but be astounded. It was her that should be asking to see his old work, not the other way around. She was so flabbergasted that the entire conversation had to be orchestrated by Logan, she merely shook his hand and smiled the entire time that Logan spoke of her and commented on her brilliant work ethic. When he finally left and they were alone the gravity of what had just happened really hit Rory.

"That was..."

"It was." Logan finished with a smirk.

And with that dinner was announced to all the guests in the main hall. Rory followed Logan where they were seated in what she was repeatedly told to be 'the best table in the room'. Logan pulled a chair out for her and she sat, noticing for the first time that they were seated in the same table as the editor from earlier and the owners of national news channels. She really hoped not to make herself look like a complete half-wit tonight.

Logan on the other hand, didn't seem to notice the people around him. She caught him staring at her multiple times throughout the night and he couldn't keep his hands to himself. He continually brushed his hand against hers or caressed her arm with his free finger. He just couldn't believe he was around her again after all that time and married to her no less. He wanted everyone to know. He wanted to go from table to table in inform all New York power figures that he was in love and married to the women of his dreams, a combination that typically never happened for people of his status. However, he understood her well enough to know that she would never want that type of news to spread, especially not around these types of people so he remained quiet. The truth of their marriage was only for a select few and unless asked directly about it he was not to share. He knew all too well that he was on shaky territory and that he should sit and be eternally grateful that she even came.

The urge to kiss her was just as powerful as the urge to touch her and he didn't know how long he could contain himself. These simple gestures and hand holding weren't doing much for him when he just wanted to take his wife out back and perform first, second and third base. He knew how the only woman that mattered was her and every girl in the building was a wilting flower in comparison.

"I'm so glad you came Ace." He whispered in her ear while she took of sip of champagne.

"A deal is a deal."

His eyes looked so warm to her and his lips so inviting. This is the same way he had been when she had first kissed him at her grandparent's vow renewal – completely sensual. She couldn't help but admit, she really did love this man.

He went to pull back a piece of hair and tuck it behind her ear and she laughed.

"What, your not going to pull out a thong of mine from in there?"

Logan smirked, "My tricks work better on the unexpected."

The two were so caught up in their gaze that they didn't notice when clapping ensued followed by what seemed like the fifth guest speaker that night. They only broke eye contact when Logan heard the voice of his father radiating from the stage.

Onlookers could tell that the look of horror in Logan's eyes mirrored that of Rory's. The blonde media mogul stepped closer to the microphone and started thanking everyone that allowed the night to be possible. Rory's stomach had never ached as bad as when she caught sight of the man that had ruined her career the past three years. He actually appeared healthy and as exuberant as ever. She felt Logan sending her apologetic glances but she couldn't tear her eyes from his father.

"Thank you all for gathering here tonight on an occasion that I'm sure will ruin many diets," laughter filled the room while the spectators gave the senior Huntzberger all of their attention.

"Today marks the one hundredth birthday of the Huntzberger Publishing Group. Some people wonder how this company had managed to stay afloat for so long now, so I share with them a story. My great grandfather built this company with one soul belief in mind...the truth should be offered to all American people. The man was a visionary, a German immigrant that came to the United States before the beginning of World War 1 and realized that the newspapers were all liars. In those days no Americans were truly aware of the horror stories overseas and my great grandfather decided that he would use his business know-how and connections back in Eurpose to start a newspaper business that had never been seen by the lights of America."

Logan had heard the story millions of times before and he still remained as uninterested as the fifth hundredth time he heard it. He tried his best to squeeze Rory's hand and offer her a sign of comfort but she barely felt it because she too, was just as captivated as the room of adults.

"The fact that we are all here today proves that he succeed. I never met the man but I heard he was disliked by many for his crass nature. Back then the people did not understand that the information he leaked through the morning papers, though it was frightening, immoral and hard to swallow, it was the truth. And my great grandfather believed in unleashing the truth on the American people so that they alone could decided how to handle all situations. So that's the secret, that's how this company has managed to stay in it's position for so long while others collapse under pressure. We believe in truth...I would like to thank my son, for the contributions that he has made towards his family ancestry. I have never seen someone with so much promise work in any of my papers before and I'm sure he would have made the founder proud. So today, with all you fine people and my great grandfather as witness I would like to congratulate him on his marriage to the beautiful Loreali Gilmore."

Without notice the spotlight that had previous shined on his father was now shining on the appalled newlywed couple. Never had a bride looked so uncomfortable being the center of attention and never had Logan wanted to cause bodily harm on this father before. This was truly the worst thing his father had ever done to him by far. Logan attempted to keep a steady grip on Rory's hand but she snatched herself away when a wave of people all nearly broke their necks to get a better look at the agitated brunette and the pissed off looking blonde next to her.

Rory could heard Mitchum concluded his speech from the stage, "Aren't they a pleasant couple, folks? My best go out to the happy couple may they produce plenty of heirs. Thank you everyone."

So many applause filled the air that you would think it was the concluding song of a famous band that had just played on stage. Rory could already see the crowds coming to approach them and congratulate them personality on their marriage. Everyone started to gather around them smiling and laughing with cameras flashing away because god forbid any moment went undocumented. Logan was overtaken when co-workers came by the thousands to shake his hand and Rory wanted more than ever to slip back into invisibility. Mitchum had just ended her career in a matter of seconds, the career that took her three years to build and the only thing she'd have left once this divorce was finalized.

Before she could get hounded by the trophy wives headed her way she pushed her chair back and practically ran out of the dinner area leaving Logan to fend for himself in the crowd of people. She knew she had over stayed her welcome and that was Mitchum's warning to her, she only wished that she was able to escape the museum faster but even at a joggers speed it looked like it would take an eternity before she could find her way out. The last thing she saw before her heels made contact with the noisy marble floors in the main hall was an overwhelmed Logan swinging his head around and trying to spot her in the mess of people.

She was truly sorry but she just couldn't handle this.

She ran as far as her heels would take her and thought many night of ditching the shoes to really gain some speed. She knew that Logan would be on her in a matter of seconds waiting to stop her from leaving him for what could possibly be the third time. Nothing from here on out would ever be easy, she would have to face Avery and her family for her mistakes. No longer would it be a secret with a need to know basis, it would be general information posted on the internet for everyone to see and everyone to reject her once they found out about her divorce to a media magnet.

She tried her best to maneuver her way down the various steps on the outside of the museum which had looked abandoned now that everyone was inside, her dress was blowing in the wind and interfering with her steps. Leaving the atmosphere of the museum was already a weight lifted off her shoulders. When she came in contact with the mayhem of traffic and the lights of the streets it comforted her to know that the world was still spinning despite the last several minutes.

Racing down the steps only focused on not breaking her ankle she bumped into someone tall.

"Are you okay?"

Rory looked up to see who would ask such a stupid question and jumped back when she realized it was Warren who was grabbing her arms and keeping her in place.

"I'm alive aren't I?" She spat sarcastically and attempted to move around him.

Warren just held on to her arms tighter, "Rory I need to talk to you and it's urgent, I was going to stop by your job today but I noticed Logan Huntzberger going in your building and I just couldn't do it!"

His crazed appearance and disheveled hair didn't go unnoticed by Rory. His eyes were maroon red from lack of sleep and she could smell the loads of alcohol in his system. Why a lawyer would go in search for her in that state she did not know.

"You reek like you go hit by a vodka truck." She said.

He ignored her, "Do you still want to go through with this divorce?"

Did he really need to ask? After tonight was through she realized Logan got in a couple hours what he had wanted all his life, a Stepford wife. She had naively fallen into his trap and let him show her off like a prized possession to his buddies. He did it so well it almost felt like it had been her idea to begin with.

"Yes."

He nodded gravely, "Then you need to do exactly I say. Divorces are always easier the faster you file the papers but you need to attend at least two sessions of marriage counseling before you can actually file. It makes you seem likable to a judge who will think you did everything in your power to keep the marriage. You understand?"

She nodded because it was all she could do at the moment, his fingers were digging into the sides of her arms.

"And this is the most important of all Rory. Memorize it, write it down if you have to but just know that what I say next is the best advice a lawyer could give."

He sighed before continuing, "Do not buy anything together, do not start a business together and what ever you do, do not sleep with him. This is all very important." He gently raised his hands to smooth down her hair on either side.

Rory closed her eyes and tried to recite everything he just told her to ensure her memory captured it.

"And Rory, I'm going to get a private investigator to find out what really happened June 24th."

She snapped her eyes open, "I...this is really nice of you Warren but I can't afford any of your help and I don't have a way of paying you back."

He shook his head violently, "Don't worry about the price."

"Why are you doing this for me?"

She looked so vulnerable and Warren couldn't take it any longer, she had been in his thoughts for many nights now. He grabbed her head and pushed her down onto his lips before he could talk himself out of it. He felt like he were making contact with rose petals, the softness of her lips were better than any dream he mustered up. He ended the kiss quickly, not seeking a return from her because he didn't want her to be the one that pulled back. He never could handle rejection...When it was over he only allowed himself a seconds to stare into her weary blue eyes.

"I couldn't think of anyone that could use the help more."

And with said he stumbled out of the Metropolitan stairs and into an awaiting cab leaving her in an unmoving state.


End file.
